Father Charged With Homicide After His 3-Year-Old Son Drowned In Above Ground Pool: Police

STAFFORD COUNTY, VA — A Stafford man was arrested on Thursday in connection with the September drowning death of his 3-year-old son, according to the Stafford County Sheriff's Office. The man, Daniel Neely, faces charges of felony homicide and abuse and neglect of a child.

The drowning occurred around 1 p.m. on Sept. 16, 2021. At that time, deputies and detectives with the sheriff's office responded to a home on Fleetwood Farm Road for a reported drowning death.

Authorities determined that the boy drowned in an above ground pool at the home while under the care of his father, who they identified as Neely.

Evidence was presented to a grand jury, which issued indictments for homicide and abuse and neglect of a child.

After Neely was arrested on Thursday, he was held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail on a $10,000 bond.

On their website, the Virginia Department of Health outlines several tips and resources to help prevent drowning deaths of children.

"Most drownings involving young children occur in residential settings," the Virginia Department of Health wrote. "Children under the age of five years do not struggle in the water. They can drown without making a sound."

Here are some tips to prevent drowning deaths among children, as written by the Virginia Department of Health:

• Learn to swim yourself and have your child learn to swim. Learn life-saving skills, including swimming basics and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
• Be prepared. Have rescue equipment at home, post 9-1-1 emergency information, and think through an emergency action plan.
• Never leave a child alone near a pool, spa, toilet, water-filled bucket, pond, or any standing body of water.
• Empty all tubs, buckets, containers and kiddie pools immediately after use. Store them upside down so they don’t collect water.